Art Competition
Each spring, a nation-wide high school arts competition is sponsored by the Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The Artistic Discovery Contest is an opportunity to recognize and encourage the artistic talent in the nation, as well as in our congressional district.
The Artistic Discovery Contest is open to all high school students in the 2nd District. An event to announce the winner and exhibit the students' artwork will be held on April 24th (6:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m.) at the Verona Public Library, 500 Silent St, Verona, WI 53593. The over-all winner of our district's competition will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. The exhibit in Washington will also include artwork from other contest winners nation-wide.
The following second district residents have been selected for the independent judging panel:
Connie Morrison and Steve Swagerle, Mineral Point
Connie and Steve met over thirty years ago at Purdue University where they both received their graduate degrees in art. They then moved to Austin, Texas where we both taught and showed our work in galleries. They moved to Mineral Point, Wisconsin in 2010 and opened Stairway Studio Gallery. Stairway Studio Gallery is where they have their studios and showcase their artwork. You can see examples of their work at: www.stairwaystudiogallery.com
Toni Sikes, Madison
Toni Sikes is a successful entrepreneur with 30 years of operational, fundraising and investment banking experience. She is the founder of three art companies, and currently serves as the founder/Co-CEO of The Art Commission, an online platform that connects artists who create commission projects to architects and design professionals.
Judy A. Spring, Baraboo
Judy Spring is the Secretary of the Sauk County Art Association. She coordinated the 2014 ENCORE!! Art 6 show April at UW-Baraboo/Sauk County where all entries must be made almost entirely of re-purposed materials. Her special passion is in feeding the creative spark among all ages of people at the local level.
Karin Wolf, Madison
Karin Wolf is the Arts Program Administrator for the Madison Arts Commission in the Department of Planning and Community and Economic Development. She manages the City's arts grants, runs the gallery spaces, stewards the City’s permanent collection of art, and handles the administration of new public art projects. Prior to this position, she worked at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, where she helped create award-winning programs for educators and K-16 students in art, design and technology. She also served as an educational assistant at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art, teaching, docenting, and assisting the Curator of Education.
The artwork may be no larger than 28” x 28” x 4”, including the frame. The art work may be
- Paintings - including oil, acrylics, and watercolor
- Drawings - including pastels, colored pencil, pencil, charcoal, ink, and markers
- Collage
- Prints - including lithographs, silkscreen, and block prints
- Mixed Media
- Computer Generated Art
- Photography
All entries must be an original in concept, design and execution. The deadline for submissions is Friday, April 18th.
The Congressional Art Competition began in 1982 to provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents. Since then, over 650,000 high school students have been involved with the nationwide competition.
If you or someone you know is interested in the annual Congressional District Art Competition, please contact Mike Kelly in Rep. Pocan's office at 608-258-9800.